Stratford friendship inspires book about guitarist John Till

John Till, guitarist for Janis Joplin’s band, appears with the singer on The Dick Cavett Show. Till’s story is featured in the upcoming book Strings of Pearl, by local author Michael Byrnes, set for release Oct. 28.

By: Amanda Nelson

John Till played alongside some of rock music’s biggest names, including Janis Joplin, but he was never one to seek the spotlight.

The guitarist played at Woodstock in 1969, performed with Joplin’s bands and played on her Pearl album. Before that, he spent several years with Ronnie Hawkins’ Hawks.

Now, his story is being told in Strings of Pearl, a new book by journalist Michael Byrnes set for release Oct. 28 through Schiffer Publishing.

Byrnes lived in Stratford from 2010 to 2019, where he became close friends with Till. What started as an idea for a magazine article eventually grew into a book that took eight years to write.

“I used to play air guitar to his music, daydreaming during math class. I never thought I’d grow up to be his friend and write his biography,” Byrnes said.

The two met after Byrnes learned Till lived in Stratford and wanted him to perform a living room concert at his bed and breakfast. A visit that was supposed to last a few minutes turned into a three-and-a-half-hour conversation, and the two quickly became friends.

As they got to know each other, Byrnes began to wonder why nobody had written down Till’s story.

“He didn’t think anybody would want to read about him,” Byrnes said.

Despite his musical accomplishments, Till preferred to stay in the background, away from the attention that came with playing alongside well-known musicians.

For Byrnes, that was part of what made the story worth telling.

“He’s the greatest guitar player that you’ve heard, but never heard of,” Byrnes said.

Written in the first person, Strings of Pearl tells Till’s story from his perspective, offering a look at the music industry from the point of view of a musician who was often content to stand at the back of the stage.

The book became even more important to Byrnes after Till died before it could be completed. Byrnes continued working on it, determined to see his friend’s story published.

Another part of Till’s story was his attachment to his guitar. Throughout his career, he had just one guitar that rarely left his side.

That changed in 1974, when he left it in a studio in White Plains, N.Y. The loss devastated him, and he spent years trying to track it down without success.

Then, just two weeks before announcing the book’s release, Byrnes found the long-lost guitar; a story for another time, said Byrnes.

Strings of Pearl will be available through major book retailers following its Oct. 28 release.

Byrnes is scheduled to appear at Indigo North London on Nov. 15 for a book signing.